Sorting device



June 17, 1930. F. G. STRAUBEL V 1,764,128

SORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 14, 1929 Patented June 17, 1939 v UN FEE FREDERICK L. G. STRAUBEL, OF GREEN .BAY, WISCONSIII SORTING DEVICE Application filed February 14, 1929. Serial No. 339,893.

My invention relates to a sorting device Fig. is a similar enlarged and fragmenof the general class employed in ofiices for tary vertical and transverse section, taken sorting out letters, invoices, file cards and along the line 55 of Fig. 3. the like. As heretofore in use, such sorting Fig. 6 is an enlarged and fragmentary 5 devices commonly consist of a base having view of one of metal parts which present 65 either parallel or upwardly diverging partistop fingers within the base member; I tion wings fastened to it in rigidly spaced Fig. 7 is a plan View of the hollow base relation. With these customary construcmember of a second embodiment of my intions, the spacing between the consecutive vention, and Fig. 8 is an elevation of a parpartitions are definitely fixed and cannot be tition suitable for use with this embodiment.

adjusted in their relative spacing to meet Fig. 9 is an enlarged and fragmentary .secvarying requirements. Nor can ready access tion taken along the line 9 9 of 7, in be had to papers or cards in the comparteluding portions of four partitions. ment between any two consecutive partitions Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken along if these are rigidly disposedin parallel posithe line 10-10 of Fig. 9, but drawn on a 65 tions. Moreover, such sorting appliance ocreduced scale. I 1 cupy an undesirably large space when not In each of the illustrated embodiments, in use and require. correspondingly bulky my sorting device comprises a hollow-base containers for shipping them. member including a top or elevated plat- Generally speaking, my present invention form provided with apertures desirably in aims to overcome allof these objections by the form of parallel slits, partitions each of providing a sorting device which can be which has a tab adapted to extend down-, shipped and stored in a small fraction of wardly through one of the said apertures, the space occupied by it when in use, which and stop means below the said top or elewill readily permit the partitions to be vavated platform for engaging such. tabs to ried'in number and spacing according to limit the tilting of the. partitions on which the needs of the user, which will permit thesetabs are formed. consecutive partitions to be tilted either Thus'in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6, toward or away from each other, and which the base member comprises a downwardly will limit the tilting of each partition in open and rectangular sheet metal casing in-' 89 both directions. 1 eluding a horizontal top 1, vertical sides 2,

Furthermore, my invention aims to profeet 3 formed by inwardly turned webs at vide a simple and inexpensive construction the lower ends of two opposite sides of for these purposes, and one in which the the casing, and cork strips 4L cemented to the major parts can readily be formed of sheet bottom faces of these feet. The top .1 of

metal. Still further and also more detailed this base member is provided with two objects will appear from the following specicounterpart rows of parallel and counter-v fication and from the accompanying drawpart slits 5, which rows of slits arerespecings, in which tively near the two vertical sides of the base Fig. .1 is a side elevation of a sorting de member. The slits in each row are of equal vice embodying my invention. number (and desirably uniformly spaced), Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the each slit alines longitudinally with a slit counterpart partitions in the sorting device of the other row, and the spacings between of Fig. 1. the alined slits in the two rows are desir- 0 Fig. 3 is a plan view of the hollow base ably equal.

member of the same device. Bigidly mounted within the hollow base Fig. 4- is a fragmentary and enlarged veimember (and desirably at a considerable tical and longitudinal section, taken through distance below the top 1 and near each of 50 the base member along the line 4 -4 f the said opposite sides of the base member) 106 Fig. 3. are rows of stop fingers 6 presenting edges 'parallel to longitudinal walls of the slits 5, the spaces between consecutive fingers being considerably wider than the uniform width of the said slits. Each fingerv desirably has its longitudinal axis 7 in a vertical plane 8 extending parallel to two consecutive slits and midway between these slits, as shown in Figs. 3 and lf As an easily 'manufac tured construction for such stop finger ran ements, I desirably dispose each row of ngers 6 so that these fingers fornithe horizontal web of a sheet metal angle strips;

which also includes a vertical web 9. Then I Weld this vertical web 9 to the inner face of one of the side walls 2 or" the base member, adjacent to WlllClT wall one row of the slits extend.

For use with a base member of the above described construction, I provide counter part document spacers or partitions, each of which consists of a main portion 10 and two finger-like tabs 11 projecting beyond the lower edge 12 of this main portion; the two tabs being spaced by a distance at least equal to the space between the adjacent ends of two of the alined slits 5 in the base member; and'the distance between the oppositely directed edges of the twotabs being slightly less than that between the (outer ends of .two such'alined slits, sothat eachctabhas a width somewhat less than the length of one of the counterpart slits. Each such spacer member or partitionhas itstabs of a thickness somewhat less than the uniform width of the slits and of greater length than the vertical distance betweenthe tops or the stop fingers 6' and the upper'faceof the base top :1, and each partition may-be a simple punching of sheet metal or other stifii sheet material;

'lVhen such-a partition has its downwardly. extending tabs inserted downwardly through analined pair of slits, the free end -portions of' each enters. the space between two consecutive fingers and the lower edge 12 of the main portion of the partition seats.

on the top 1 of the basemember. Since the tabs are thinner than the widths of the sl tsthrough which they extend, the partition can then rock upon the top 'ofthebase member transversely of-the faceiof the parin: Fig. 4.

tition but the extent of this rockin in each direction is limited by the engagement of spacing each of the end pairs 5A and 5B of alined slits from the adjacent end wall of the casing I make these end walls serve as stops (as shown in Fig. 4) for limiting the inward'tiltin'g of the main portion-sot the partitions-used in association with these end pairs of slits; I V p In employing suclran appliance,.part

tions may be used in connection with each pair of alined slots, so that'they define com.-

partments of widths corresponding to the spacing between consecutive slits, while for widercompartments fewer and more widely spaced-partitions can be employed. In either case, every partition can instantly be tilted to its limited extent in either direction, and

when any two adjacent partitions areltilte'd away from each other (as illustrated atthe middle of Fig. 1)' thecompartment between these partitions is expanded at the top for affording convenient access to the papers or cards in this compartment. .Then when one of the; partitions which forms a wall of a previously expanded compartment is tilted towards the companion partition, the first named partition (particularly if made of heavy'sheet material) will clamp and com: press the contents of the compartment.

'lVhen such a sorting device isnot-"in use,- the partitions can be stacked fiatwise on the top or" the base member, so. as to reduce the space for storing the entire appliance. In-

deed, with the basemember hollow, and openat the bottom, these PQQXtIlJl-OBS' mayeven he ti-onsor spacer member each provided withf two tabs, as having the, base memberuprovid'ed with alined pairs of slits, and as hav: ing stop fingers forming parts of angle-sec- 'tioned strips, I do notwish to be limited to these orother details of the construction and arrangement'thus disclosed Many changes might obviously be made without departing either from the spirit of my fromkthe appended claims. 7 H e For example, F 7 to 10 show portions oiianothe'r sorting d vice embodying my in vention. In this embodiment, each. partition or spacer (as shown in Fig. 8),has its main portion 13 extending at each side beyond a single bottom tab 14 so as to aiiord two lower edge portions. 15 adapted to seat on the top i the hollow base shown in Fig. 7. This base topl6 has a single row of counterpart parallel slits 17-, each somewhat wider than.

the thickness of one. of the tabs 14 and at least as loiigas one of these tabs.

Instead of the 'two finger strips of the previously described embodiment, the hol low base member in this case has affalse invention or p bottom which presents a horizontal plate 18 provided with parallel slots 19 in axial vertical alinement with all of the slits 17 excepting the two ends slits 17A. This slotted stop plate portion 18 is spaced from the top 16 by a distance less than the uniform height of the tabs 14, and each slot 19 in the stop plate 18 is suiliciently wider than the slits 17 to permit the partitions to tilt to the desired extent as shown in Fig. 9. The false bottom has its end portions 18A offset downwardly to provide riser walls 19 disposed for limiting the outward tilting of partitions which have their tabs inserted respectively through the two end slits 17A in the top 16 of the hollow base.

By suitably spacing these end slits from the adjacent end walls 20 of the base, I enable these end walls to serve as stops for limiting the inward tilting of the partitions used in association with the same two end slits, as shown in Fig. 9.

With each of the illustrated embodiments, the packing or storage space required for my sorting device is only a small fraction of that which would be needed for an appliance of the same effective size if the partitions or spacers were fastened to the base member after the heretofore customary manner. Furthermore, my device permits the user to vary the spacing between the lower ends of the main portions of consecutive partitions, and to expand or compress any desired compartment between two consecutive partitions instantly. The base top in each case affords a platform which supports the partitions in a sufficiently elevated disposition to allow the needed stop elements to be disposed below it, and by disposing the stop edges (namely, the longitudinal edges of the fingers 6 or the longitudinal walls of the slots 19 in the stop plate of Figs. 9 and 10) par allel to the longitudinal walls of adjacent base top slits, I secure long stop bearings for the tabs, so that pressure on the partitions will not bend the tabs.

By disposing the fingers in Fig. l and corresponding stop plate portions in Fig. 9 (namely those between the consecutive slots 19) in staggered relation to the slits in the top, I require only a single such stop element for a pair of slits at opposite sides of this stop element. And by also using end walls of the base (and in the embodiment of Figs.

9 and 10 riser formations on a stop plate) as stops, I further reduce the number of stop shoulders required in proportion to the maximum number of partitions for which the base portion of my sorting device is designed.

It will also be noted that in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 10, each portion of the stop plate 18 which is between two consecutive slots 19 in this plate corresponds in substance to one of the fingers 6 in the embodiprovided with parallel and counterpart slits counterpart partitions each having a bottom 1 tab adapted to extend freely through any one of the slits and a shoulder engaging the top of the platform; a horizontal false bottom spaced downwardly from the platform by a distance less than the length of one of Y the said tabs; the false bottom having openings respectively in vertical axial alinement with the slits, each of the said openings being considerably wider than the width of the slits and a base frame connecting the platform with the false bottom and supporting both of the latter with the false bottom sufficiently above the bottom of the base frame so that the tabs on the partitions project downwardly beyond the false bottom through the slits in the latter;

2. A sorting device for papers or the like, comprising a hollow casing having a flat top provided with parallel and counterpart slits;

stop elements mounted within the casing and spaced downwardly from the said top and each underhanging the portion of the top which is between two consecutive slits, each stop element presenting edges parallel to the slits and spaced by a less'distance than consecutive slits; and counterpart partitions each having a bottomtab insertible through one of the slits to have the tab extend betweentwo adjacent stop elements, each partition having a main portion exposed above the platform and formed to provide a shoulder seating on and adapted to rock on the platform; the casing including an end wall transverse of the slits, and the stop elements comprising fingers formed on a plate fastened to the said end wall.

3. A sorting device for papers or the like, comprising a platform provided with two parallel counterpart rows of apertures, the apertures of one row alining respectively with those ofthe other row transversely of the platform; partitioning members each having a lower edge adapted to seat and rock on the platform, and each having twodownward projections spaced for simultaneously extending through two of the said alined apertures; and stop means fast with respectto and spaced freely downward from the platform and presenting pairs of shoulders respectively offset in opposite directions longitudinally of the platform from the several apertures, each such shoulder being disposed for engaging one of the said projections when the partitioning member provided with that projection is rocked upon the platform.

4. A sorting device for papers or the like,

comprising a casing including two side walls peripheral wall of the said box+like strucand a flat top, the said top having counterturef I a V 7v part rows of uniformly spaced slits formed Signed at Green Bay, Wis., Feb. 10, 1929.

near each of the said side walls and-disposed H V 7 so that each slit alines longitudinally with FREDERICK L..Gr,. STRAUBEL: 70

" a slit in the other row; counterparts parti-f i tions each comprising a main portion pres i senting bottom edge seating on the said 'top andtwo tabs projecting respectively" j V 1 j,

T v through two alinedslits; and two stop mema I a j 75 bers respectively adjacentto the said side wallsand 'eachincluding a row of fingers disposed so that each finger underhangs'the' platform portion between two consecutive p slits in the adjacent row of slits, each finger V l- V l 80 being narrower than the distance between T the said two consecutive slits. V t

5. A sorting device for papers or the like,

' comprising a casing including two side walls V and a flat top, the said top having counteri I s 'part'rowsof uniformly spaced slits formed a I near each of the said side walls and disposed "so that each slit al'ines longitudinally with v a slit in the other row; counterpart parti- V 1 tions each comprising a main portionpre- I V s 3 s 9 senting. a bottom edge seating on the said i top and two tabs projecting respectively through twosalined slits; and two stop members respectively adjacent to the said side I V V H V p v so walls-and each including a row .of fingers a V 95 disposed so that each finger.underhangs the i i a a i platform portion between two consecutive slits in the adjacent row of slits, each finger being narrower than the distance between V v p v j 35 thesaid two'consecutive slits, the casing also I I, 1

: having two endfwalls each adjacent rev spectively to the end fingers of both rows of fingers, each of the said end walls'being v spaced from the adjacent end fingers of V j I j 40 both rows by a distance substantially equal V r V i 5 to the spacing between the consecutive fingers of each row. a g V 6. A paper sortingv device comprising a V v box-like structure including a top and a a a p v 3 g5 bottom connected by a frame-like peripheral 1 I a r V I 119 wall, the bottom having its major portion offset upwardly fromthe lower edge of the said peripheral wall to present the main bot tom portion at a height intermediate that of i Y 7 r the top and thesaid lower wall edge; the v g top and the main bottom portion being both a i I provided with slits all parallel to one another, the slits in the top being of less width than those in the'main bottom portion and in vertical axial alinement respectively with the slits in the main bottom portion; and

,partitions each having shoulders seated on the top and having tabsextending through V p 3;; a slit in both the said top and a slit inathe i 1 V 7' I main'bottom portion. V

7. A paper sorting device, in which the partitions are of such: a size that they can be stored in the space below the said main a I I v a v 7 s5 bottomfportion within the confines of the v i V 

